Chelsea plot statement move for England striker, with forward who snubbed Blues also eyed

Chelsea have made signing a new striker one of their priorities for the summer and reports suggest Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is at the top of their shortlist.

Enzo Maresca isn’t convinced Nicolas Jackson is prolific enough to fire the Blues back to the top of the Premier League and wants a more experienced front man to compete with him.

Napoli superstar Victor Osimhen was Chelsea’s top target for the past few months but his sky-high valuation ultimately made a transfer impossible, with the Nigerian international now close to joining Paris Saint-Germain.

Osimhen’s move to PSG saw Chelsea ‘offered the chance’ to sign Randal Kolo Muani or Goncalo Inacio, but they are yet to show concrete interest in the duo.

According to a report from The Standard, Villa talisman Watkins is the man Maresca wants to lead the line at Stamford Bridge this season.

The England international scored a very impressive 27 goals across all competitions last season, firing Unai Emery’s side to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League.

Arsenal have also shown an interest in Watkins but Villa are in a strong position, given he’s under contract until 2028.

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Chelsea reignite interest in Elye Wahi

Reports suggest Villa would demand a minimum of £80m to sell Watkins this summer, and even then Emery would be extremely reluctant to let him go.

Chelsea may be interested in the striker but in all likelihood will have to look elsewhere for a new front man and it’s claimed that RC Lens star Elye Wahi is the next name on their wish list.

The 21-year-old is considered one of the best young players in Ligue 1 and scored 12 goals across all competitions last season, as well as making four assists.

Wahi certainly has plenty of potential but at this stage in his career, he arguably wouldn’t be much of an upgrade on Chelsea’s current first-choice striker, Jackson.

But the Blues’ interest in the French under-23s international IS concrete. In fact, Wahi snubbed a move to Stamford Bridge last summer.

“Chelsea, I didn’t want to go there just for the sake of it,” Wahi said in September.

Another route he could have gone down was to join Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, but that move became ‘too complicated’ while he waited for Randal Kolo Muani to join Paris Saint-Germain.

Wahi continued: “Frankfurt was close, more so than Chelsea.

“I spoke with the manager there [Dino Toppmoller]. He speaks French and that was important for me.

“They had to wait for Randal Kolo Muani’s departure and waiting for it was too complicated. I don’t have any regrets.”

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